Gramophone.



No. 644,834. Patented Mar. |900;

H. K. SMITH.

GBAMOPHNE.

(Application led July 10, 1899.

(No ModeL) l UNITE@ STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HENRY K. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

cRAMoPHoNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,884, dated March 6,.1900.

Application filed July 10, 1899. Serial No. 723,277. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, HENRY K. SMITH, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia,State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inGramophones, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to gramophones; and it consists of certainimprovements which are fully set forth in the following specificationand shown in the accompanyin g drawings, which form a part thereof.

The object of my improvements is to so construct and adapt the soundhorn or amplifier and its supporting devices to the sound-producingmeans that it may be condensed when not in use, so as to take up muchless room than when in operation, to facilitate shipping and storage,and at the same time retain all of the advantages heretofore existing.

Furthermore, my obj ect is to so support the horn and reproducer thatwhen not in use in connection with the rotating plate or disk it shallbe supported in a manner to prevent contact of the stylus or needlepoint with'the table or support for the instrument.

My obj ect is, moreover, to improve the connection of the horn with thereproducer in such manner as to secure increased and more clear soundtransmission.

In carrying out my invention I support the horn upon a pivoted armsustained by a bracket from the main body of the machine and providedwith means for limiting the downward movement of its free end, to whichthe reproducer carrying the needle-point is secured. The horn oramplifier is made of a collapsible construction having its ends made ofmetal and combined with the supporting pivoted arm in such a manner asto be retained in a stretched or extended condition when adapted foruse,'but capable ofbeing disconnected and condensed for shipment orstorage. In connection with this part of my apparatus I form the elbowof the horn of sheet metal or other hard substance and connect it withthe tubular end of the reproducer through a sleeve or lining of fibrousor hard but practically non-resonant material,where by all metallic,foreign, or rattling sounds of the machine are eliminated from theampli- Iier. The bracket for supporting the pivoted arm of the amplifierand reproducer is pivoted or hinged, so as to turn about its connectionto the main frame,and combined with suitable clamping means for holdingit in an extended or operating position. In addition to these featuresthere are others of minor importance, but all of which are hereinafterlfully disclosed.

Myimprovements will be better understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which-- Figure I is a perspective View of agramos phone embodying my improvements.` Fig. 2 is a plan view of thepivoted arm for support'- ing the horn or amplilier, showing partsinsection. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of same. Fig. 4 is across-section of same across its pivotal point. Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe gramophone in apartly-dismantled condition, ready for shipping orstorage. cross-section showing the jointed connection of the bracketwith the main frame, and Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation showingconnection of the large end of the horn with its support.

A is the main frame of the gramophone and incloses the motor.

B is the rotating table upon which the disks containing the spiraltracings are clamped.

C is the reproducer and consists of the usual head inclosing a diaphragmagainst which the needle or stylus or its holder rests. The rear end ofthe sound-box of the reproducer C is made tubular, as at c. f

D is the horn or amplifier and is connected to the reproducer andsustained by the piv'- oted arm H, which latter is pivoted by auniversal joint upon the end of a bracket E, secured to and projectingfrom the frame A.

The horn or amplifier D consists of a series of tapering tubularsections D, iitting one within the other, so as to make tight jointswhen extended, but having capacity for collapsing. The inner end sectionD2 is made like an elbow and adapted to fit ov'er the end of the tubularextension c of the reproducer. I prefer to form the sections D' of berand the elbow D2 of metal or hard resonant material. The large endsection or mouth of the horn may be also of metal. In case metal is usedI prefer to interpose a tubular lining Dl between the elbow and theextension c to prevent rattling and buzzing and movement.

Fig. 6 is a I is a bent-wire rod pivoted to the arm I'I at t', having afree end adapted to the socket G of the horn. It is further providedwith a transverse pin I to work against the fastened surface g of thesocket to hold the horn in an upright position. A collar I2, preferablyadjustable on the rod, acts as an abutment against which the socket Grests and by which the tension put upon the horn in the direction of itslength is secured. This wire I, when in position to support the horn, issnapped under a spring-catch H2, but is capable of being turned aroundon its pivot t', as indicated in Fig. 2, for condensing it for shipment.When in use for holding' the horn distended, it will be seen that theWire is pivoted to the arm to one side of the line of tension put uponthe horn. To prevent the arm H falling down under the weight of the hornand reproducer C, I provide a stop 7L, connected at one end to the armand having the other end adapted to press against the pivotpost F. Inpractice I prefer to make this stop 71y of spring metal, so that it maybe pressed toward the arm and permit the pivotpost to be turned down tocondense it for shipment. It is evident, however, that any suitable stopmay be employed between the arm H and post F to limit this downwardmovement of the free end of the arm. It is also evident that the parts7L and H2 might be formed integral with the arm. lVhen the horn iscondensed, the several portions telescope into each other and areprevented from accidental separation by the employment of the flexibleconnection or cord CZ, which is connected at intervals with the severalsections.

The bracket Eis permanently pivoted to the main frame at e, near onecorner thereof, so that it may be turned around, as indicated at Fig. 5,and lie close to the side of the said main frame. The base part of thebracket is furthermore provided with a slot terminating in a depression,as at K, and adapted to receive a clamping-nut J of a xed bolt j, asshown in Fig. 6. When the bracket is turned from the solid-line positioninto the dottedline position in Fig. 5, the clamping-nut .I firmly holdsit in position.

It is evident that by my improvements I not only secure better and moresatisfactory constructions forv the parts enumerated than heretoforeused, but I am enabled to greatly condense the ent-ire apparatus forstorage or shipment.

It is evident that while I have set out the details of construction moreparticularly preferred the minor details may be modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

l. The combination of a pivoted arm having at its free end asound-reproducing device, With a horn or sound-amplifier carried by thearm and consisting of a series of sections so as to be collapsible, andmeans caring at its free end a soundreproducing device, with a horn orsound-amplifier carried by the arm and consisting of a series ofsections so as to be collapsible and provided with a socket on thebell-mouth of the horn, and means carried by the arm consisting of awire or rod having a free end adapted to receive the socket for holdingsaid horn in an extended condition and pivoted to the arm to one side ofthe line of tension put upon it by the horn, and means to limit themovement of the wire or rod in one direction but permit its adjustmentabout its pivot in the other direction for packing.

LI. In a sound-producing instrumenta horn or sonnd-amplilier consistingof a series of sections telescoping into each other, the smaller endbeing .formed with an elbow of hard material the intermediate sectionsof non-metallic material and the large end being formed of metal, incombination with means acting upon .the two end parts tc stretch or holdthe parts in an extended condition.

5. In a sound-producing instrument a horn or sound-amplifier consistingof a series of sections telescoping into each other, the smaller endbeing formed with an elbow of hard material and the large end beingformed of metal, in combination with means to stretch or hold the partsin an extended condition, and a iiexible connection between several ofthe sections to connect them with the largest section and preventrelative displacement when collapsed.

6. In a speaking instrument, the combination of a sound-reproducingdevice having a rigid tubular end, a horn or sound-amplifier having anelbow at the small end of metal or other hard resonant materialreceiving the tubular end of the reproducing device, and an interposedwasher or packing of non-resonant material fitting vtightly and forminga practically-rigid joint between the tubular end of the reproducingdevice and the end of the amplilier.

7. In a speaking instrument, a sound-amplier or horn, consisting of aseries of seotions telescoping into each other and tapering so as toform when extended a hornshaped structure the intermediate section beingformed of ber, or non-metallic resonant material and the small end andbell-mouth or larger end section being formed of metal, in

IOO

combination with suitable means connecting with the end sections forholding the horn or sound-amplifier in an extended condition.

8. In a speaking instrument, the combination of a moving record, asupporting-bracket located to one side of the moving record, a verticalpivot-pin supported in the end of the bracket and free to revolve abouta vertical axis, a freely-movable arm jointed to the vertical pin on atransverse axis, a suitable stop connected to the movable arm anddirected backward and downward so as to strike against the vertical pinabove the bracket and limit the downward motion ofthe movable armwithout obstructing in any manner its lateral motions upon the bracket,and a soundreproducing device carried upon the free end of the arm andhaving a needle-point acting upon the moving record.

9. In a speaking instrument, the combination of an arm pivoted so as tohave'universal movement, a sound-reproducing,device carried at the freeend of the arm, a bracket extending close to the pivoted end of thepivoted arm, an upright pin pivoted on a vertical axis in the end ofthebracket and connected to the pivoted-arm on a transverse axis wherebythe arm is universally jointed close to its outer end, and a stop whollyc'onnected to the arm and having its lower end arranged in alinementwith the verticalpin whereby when vthe arm is free the stop is caused toabut against the pin to limit the downward motion of the free end aboutthe transverse axisbut which when the instrument is in operation is outof contact with the vertical pin.

l0. In a gramophone instrument, the combination of a pivoted armcarrying at its free end a sound-reproducing device, a support for thearm at its pivoted end consisting of the bracket E extending outward andupwardly close to the arm, a hinge device F pivotedv to the end of thebracket on a vertical axis and connected with the arm on a transverseaxis, and a stop-iinger h secured to the under side of the arm andprojecting backward and downward so as to abut against the vertical pinonly when the outer end of the arm is unsupported, the constructionbeing such that when the arm is in its normal position during theoperation of the instrument the stop-inger h has no connection with thevertical pin.

ll. Ina speaking instrument of the character described, the combinationof the rotating table, a box-like structure inclosing the power devicesfor moving the table, a soundreproducer adapted to be moved over thetable, a pivoted arm carrying the sound-reproducer, and a bracket E towhich the arm is'- pivoted said bracket being pivoted at e to thebox-like structure adjacent to one corner thereof so that the arm may beswung around parallel to the box to condense the machine for shipment,and a suitable clamping device for clamping the base of the bracket tothe box-like structure whereby the arm is held in a rigid extendedcondition when the machine is in operative adjustment.

l2. In a gramoplione instrument ofthe char'- acter described theuniversal pivoted arm II j formed of sheet metal with top horizontal andsides bent at an angle to the top surface so as to project verticallydownward forl strengthening purposes and further' having the free end ofthe horizontal top curved to form a tubular socket for receiving thesound-reproducer', in' combination with a vertical pivotpin jointed tothe arm on a transverse axis extending through the sides at its end mostdistant from the tubular socket.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

HENRY K. SMITH. Witnesses:

R. M. HUNTER, R. IWI. KELLY.

